


Home Is Wherever I'm With You

by stereobone



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-16
Updated: 2014-02-16
Packaged: 2018-01-12 17:58:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1194339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stereobone/pseuds/stereobone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi doesn't know how it happened, but somehow they've developed a routine so natural that it's as though they've been living together for years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home Is Wherever I'm With You

The expedition after he becomes Captain, Erwin calls Levi into his office to congratulate him. It's a ridiculous formality in Levi's opinion, he'd do the same work no matter what rank he was in, but he humors Erwin. They salute each other in his office, oddly formal for those moments, and then Erwin is smiling at him, the quiet, proud smile he only reserves for Levi.

"You're dismissed," he says. "But again, good work today."

Levi nods. "Yeah, thanks."

He's about to turn and leave, but Erwin's voice stops him.

"Oh." He motions to the window behind him with his pen. "A few of the other Captains talked about going out for a drink. You won't be joining them?"

Levi can't even begin to describe how little that appeals to him. They're soldiers, and they depend on each other, but Levi doesn't consider many people in the Corps his friends, if any. And small talk may be the only thing in this world that terrifies him. He prefers to be left alone.

"No. My barracks are getting filthy. I need to clean."

Erwin frowns. "Barracks?" he says. "That's right…you never left them, did you?"

"I don't really see the point," Levi says, though he's thought about it.

It's hard sometimes to stay there when the memories of Isabel and Farlan strike him. There's a loneliness to the barracks, even at their most crowded. They're impersonal. But Levi doesn't have a house or apartment, though now that he's a Captain, he supposes he could save up for one. Erwin taps his pen against the desk.

"It's convenient, yes, but you aren't a trainee anymore. You're a Captain. You should have your own room."

"There's nothing available," Levi says. "I already checked."

Erwin looks like he's thinking of some solution already, and Levi doesn't want him to worry about it, not when he has so much on his plate already.

"It's fine," he says. "I'll stay in the barracks for now."

"No." Erwin holds a hand up, an idea already formed. "I have an extra room at my home. You should stay with me."

Levi almost bites his tongue. The suggestion seems so ridiculous that he flounders, mouth open, but can't seem to think of a good reason to say no, other than to just say it.

"I'm not going to live with you," he says.

"I can't have you staying in the barracks," Erwin tells him. "It's unacceptable for someone of your position. You may stay with me temporarily until you find a suitable apartment."

Levi opens his mouth to reject him again, but the idea is actually tempting. He takes the barracks for what they are—a bed to sleep in—but they're also crowded with trainees and Levi would really rather avoid them. At least with Erwin there would only be one other person. No one would be stepping on his toes.

"Only temporarily," Levi says.

Erwin nods. "Collect your things and meet me outside the barracks in thirty minutes."

Levi hasn't outright agreed, but Erwin's voice is all authority in tone, and he doesn't want to disobey on instinct.

"Fine," he says.

\--

Erwin's house is tucked into the inner district, secluded from the street and old. It's modest for someone of Erwin's standing, but somehow that doesn't surprise Levi in the least. He waits on the front step while Erwin unlocks the door, the rucksack of his belongings slung over his shoulder. Levi doesn't know if he should find it sad that for all that he's lived through, he barely owns anything. The most important thing to him now is almost always strapped around him, saving his life, propelling him.

There's a click as Erwin unlocks the door, and then he's standing aside to let Levi in. The house is dark, but it smells, without question, like Erwin. There's also a mustiness to it, and Levi scrunches his nose up. Erwin shuts the door and gets a lamp lit, the house rising in light. It's…messy, but not in a lived-in sort of way. It's almost like Erwin just puts things down and forgets about them. There are books piled on the couch, full cups of tea on the table. Levi can just barely see into the kitchen where a half-eaten loaf of bread sits on the counter. He watches as Erwin lights another lamp, then another to hold. In the soft light, Levi can see the dark circles around his eyes.

"We aren't at headquarters," Erwin says. "There's no need to stand at attention."

Levi shifts his weight and forces himself to relax. He hadn't realized. It's been so automatic for him, to wait for Erwin's orders, that it almost feels strange not to.

"Let me show you to your room."

Off the kitchen is a hall with a bathroom, a closed door that Levi assumes is Erwin's room, and now his right across. Farlan and Isabel used to talk about them all getting a house like this one day, once they made it above ground. Erwin lights the lamp on the wall and gestures for Levi to step into his new room with an outstretched arm. The room is small, but definitely not as crowded as the barracks. There's an unmade bed in the center, a dresser, an end table, and nothing else. The window is blocked by a thick curtain. Levi sets his rucksack on the bed and dust lifts up. He turns around and Erwin is still standing there, holding his lamp.

"Erwin," Levi says. "Your house is fucking filthy."

\--

He decides he won't be able to sleep until he dusts the room down. Erwin gets him spare sheets, and then bids him goodnight. Levi can hear him moving around outside his door, footsteps solid. He dresses down and then folds the rest of his clothes into the dresser drawers, shoves his rucksack under the bed. Levi steps into the hall and leans against the wall, waits for Erwin to get out of the bathroom. Erwin almost looks startled when he steps out and sees Levi standing there, like he had forgotten he was even in his house. He's wearing an undershirt, and Levi has never seen him like this before, and it's somehow awkward.

"Levi," he says, and then pauses too long before continuing: "Goodnight."

Levi slips past him into the bathroom.

"Night," he says, and shuts the door.

He can't remember the last time he said that to someone.

\--

They're up at the same time. They both live on a soldier's schedule, so Levi isn't surprised. He lets Erwin take the bathroom first and does pushups in his room instead. There's grime on his fingers when he stands up, and Levi makes a mental note to sweep. He jumps to wash his hands as soon as Erwin is out of the bathroom.

When he gets to the kitchen, Erwin is chewing on some kind of flax cracker. He offers one to Levi.

"Thanks," Levi says.

They eat standing in the kitchen, purposely not looking at one another. It feels weird, it all feels so odd to Levi, but he doesn't know why. He sees Erwin every day, he's devoted his life to following this man, but the energy around them now is strange, different. Levi swallows the cracker down, wondering if Erwin has more to eat but refusing to ask. He'll eat again when they get to headquarters.

By the time Levi is leaving, so is Erwin. They walk out the front door together, silent, Levi adjusting his cravat. He doesn't understand why this feels so strange. He lived for years with Isabel and Farlan, and then more after that surrounded by hundreds of other soldiers. But something about this situation feels more intimate. Levi doesn't understand why. He and Erwin walk down the road together, and it isn't until they're a few blocks away that Levi feels more settled, and Erwin must too, because he starts talking.

"Did you sleep well?" he says.

Levi blinks, looking up from the road.

"What? Yeah."

"Good."

They turn down the main road. Levi can see headquarters from here, the only place awake in the city right now.

"I have to take a trip to the capital today," Erwin says. "Our next expedition is under threat again."

Levi groans. "Those assholes will do anything. I'll go with you. I don't trust those pigs."

He knows Erwin was going to ask anyway, but he likes taking the initiative. The more they walk, the more normal things feel, and by the time they've reached headquarters, things are back as they should be.

\--

Erwin gives him the key to his house that evening, tells him to go on ahead, that he'll be working late. He tells Levi that he can get another key made if wants, which Levi plans to do, for convenience sake. He walks back to Erwin's house alone. Once Levi gets inside, he opens Erwin's cupboard and finds them laughably bare. What's the point, Levi thinks, of having a house if you aren't going to cook there? He knows Erwin eats, he's got more muscle than Levi and strength that's nearly unrivaled, but doesn't keep much food in the house. Despite the mess, the house feels unlived in. It doesn't feel much like a home at all. Levi thinks Erwin probably doesn't do much here other than sleep, and come to think of it, he's often caught Erwin snoozing in his office. Levi drags a finger over the cupboards. More dust. He grabs his broom.

Since Erwin's house isn't very big, it doesn't take long for Levi to clean it. He sweeps first, moving all the dirt out of the front door. Then he opens the windows and dusts. It stings his eyes a bit, makes him sneeze, but after about an hour, he can run his finger over the furniture without picking up dust. Levi collects the books off the couch and organizes them back onto the bookcase. He empties the teacups and washes them in the sink basin, sets them to dry on a towel. He doesn't touch Erwin's room out of respect, but he does tidy the bathroom up a bit.

After, Levi walks down the road to the market. While he's waiting for the smith to make another key, he picks up smoked meat, bread, eggs, tea—all the things a house should probably have. He takes it all back to Erwin's and fills the cupboards, leaving out a portion of meat and bread for himself and Erwin because he doesn't trust his own cooking. The sun is setting by the time Erwin knocks on the door. When Levi lets him in, he doesn't seem to notice anything is different at first, not until he pulls his boots off and sees the couch.

"Oh," Erwin says. "I see you've been busy."

Levi unties his bandana and folds it up. "I told you your house was filthy. And empty. You should get a vase, or something."

"A vase?" Erwin says.

"Yeah." Levi tucks his bandana into his back pocket. "Houses always have vases in them."

"Huh," Erwin says.

He ducks into the kitchen and sees the plate of food set out for him.

"Don't tell me you made dinner."

The fondness in his voice is almost teasing, and Levi snarls.

"It's not a goddamn candlelight dinner, okay? There's no point in eating military food when you've got a working kitchen."

"Of course."

Erwin slips off his jacket and folds it over the back of the chair before sitting at the table. Levi pours them both water and sits, starving now that he's not thinking about cleaning. He bites into the bread, chewing and watching as Erwin pulls off a strip of meat for himself. It feels less awkward, though Erwin's movements are still too calculated, too stiff. He's not used to having houseguests, Levi realizes, but he isn't some stranger or politician that Erwin has to manipulate for funding. Erwin knows him. But the more they eat, the more Erwin relaxes. He leans back into his chair, humming occasionally at the quality of the food.

"I got word from the Generalissimo before I left, by the way," he says. "The next expedition is go. Two weeks."

Levi nods. "I told you it would be fine. So what's our goal?"

"Observe," Erwin says. "Capture if we can. We need more information about what we're up against. I want you by me this time. Should we need to break formation, I'll give you the signal to take lead in the back."

"Understood."

They've both finished eating, and Levi stands to grab both their plates, but Erwin stops him.

"Please," he says. "I'll take care of it."

Levi falls back into his chair and Erwin takes the plates to the sink. The sun cuts through the window just before it sets, bathes the room in orange, makes it seem warmer. Levi shuts his eyes and listens to the quiet of Erwin's house, the sound of water running.

"Thank you for dinner," Erwin says.

Levi opens his eyes. The room is darker.

"If I'm going to live here I'm not going to starve," he says.

He hears Erwin laugh quietly. "Naturally."

They separate to their own rooms after that. Erwin goes to do whatever it is he does when Levi's not around and refuses to tell him about. Levi works out. Once he's finished, he heats water for a bath. There's no noise from Erwin's room, and Levi wonders what he does in there, what it looks like. Levi refused to even look at it earlier when he was cleaning. The door was closed, and Levi wasn't about to invade Erwin's privacy, no matter how curious. The water boils and Levi bathes. He leaves some for Erwin, but he doesn't know if he uses it. He doesn't see him until the next morning.

\--

They develop a sort of routine after that. Levi learns things about Erwin that he supposes are inevitable once you start living with someone. Things like Erwin takes forever in the bathroom in the morning, so Levi starts to get up a little earlier than him to make sure he can use it first. The fifth morning he's there, Erwin beats him to the bathroom and Levi stands outside half-awake, grumbling. After twenty minutes, he bangs on the door.

"You constipated in there or what?"

"Shaving," Erwin says.

Levi tries the door and finds it's unlocked, so he just barges in. Erwin doesn't startle. He glances sidelong at Levi, razor poised over his chin.

"I'll be out soon, Levi," he says.

Levi dips his hands into the water and wets his face, reaches for the jar of shaving cream.

"You're taking too long." He flips out his razor. "We'll save time this way."

Erwin shrugs, continues shaving. They shave side by side like that, the quiet rasp of the blade on their skin the only sound between them. They continue like that the rest of the week.

Even shaving together, Levi is always ready first, so while Erwin finishes dressing, Levi gets a pot of tea ready. It just seems stupid not to use Erwin's perfectly good kettle. They drink together, eat something light, then separate again to get ready. Erwin will wait for Levi at the door and they'll walk to headquarters, discussing the upcoming expedition. Usually, Erwin stays later than Levi, so Levi goes back to his house and gets dinner ready because he's determined to wean Erwin off the shitty food at headquarters, and cleans up anything that Erwin left out of place. He waits for Erwin to come back before eating, because for some reason Levi doesn't like the idea of eating alone. The house is small but it feels lonely, and he wonders if Erwin thinks the same. It's not awkward between them anymore, in fact, and Levi doesn't know how it happened, but somehow they've developed a routine so natural that it's as though they've been living together for years.

"How about some tea?" Erwin says one night after dinner, so Levi makes a pot, and they move to the living area.

They sit on the couch in good silence and drink, Levi with his feet curled up under him, Erwin reading. Eventually, Levi feels himself nodding off, and when he looks at the clock, it's somehow past midnight.

"Oh," he says. "It's late."

Erwin looks up as if he just noticed the time as well. They separate to their rooms, a soft goodnight between them, and the quiet of Erwin's house is starting to become familiar to Levi, comforting. He doesn't really think about finding another place, especially not with the expedition coming up. He tells himself it can wait until after. It can wait.

Two nights before the expedition, Erwin is really late. Levi waits, but after a while gets annoyed and eats alone, taking vicious bites of his vegetables. He works out, he bathes. Even after all that, Erwin still isn't back. He doesn't know why it bothers him, maybe because Levi hates having his routine disrupted, and he's come to expect Erwin walking through the door. But Erwin is his Commander, not anything else, and Levi should know better than to expect. But after another hour passes, Levi decides to go find him.

"Screw it," he says.

By this time, the streets are empty and asleep, only a few stray drunkards wobbling about. Levi walks back to headquarters in the brisk air, jacket pulled tight. It's quiet at headquarters, mostly dark and abandoned, but Levi sees light under Erwin's door. He knocks. There's no answer.

"Erwin," he says.

There's still no answer, so Levi walks in and finds Erwin asleep in his chair, arms folded over his chest. It's happened before. Levi knows that Erwin has spent a lot of nights in his office, sometimes he's been there with him. Erwin does so much. Too much, sometimes, and it annoys Levi that he doesn't always reveal just how weary he is, that he won't let Levi take some of the burden.

Levi pushes Erwin to wake him up. Erwin comes to without a start, almost like he was expecting it, and blinks himself awake.

"Levi?" he says, voice cloudy.

"No, a Titan," says Levi. "What the hell are you doing?"

Erwin scrubs his hands over his face. "I must have nodded off."

"Yeah, I can see that." Levi closes the open file on his desk. "Come on, let's go."

He expects an argument, but Erwin actually stands up. He's smiling for whatever reason—Levi doesn't question it. Erwin tucks the file into his desk and follows Levi out, stretching his limbs.

"Too damn old to be sleeping in chairs," Levi says.

"I was working." Erwin cracks his neck. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"Uh-huh."

They step out into the night, Erwin still following.

"Thank you for coming to get me," he says.

Levi walks faster. "Whatever."

Back at the house, Levi gets Erwin to sit down and eat while he nurses a cup of tea.

"You're always so concerned about eating," Erwin saying, spearing a potato.

Levi grunts behind his teacup. "That's because I still consider it a luxury."

Erwin's eyes go dark, fork frozen halfway to his mouth. Sometimes it's like he forgets where Levi came from, forgets who he was, as if the most important thing were Levi as he is now.

"Of course," he says, apologetic, and continues eating. "You're right."

There's a nervous energy in the house, one that Levi is familiar with. It's always there before an expedition. It's the uncertainty—the knowledge of death. Anxiety and anticipation have been rampant at headquarters all week. Levi hardly feels the anxiety anymore. Mostly he's just angry, eager. He can't wait to get outside those walls again, even if it means death.

"Your cooking has improved," Erwin says, sudden.

He eats his last bit of potato. Mostly, they only eat meat and potatoes, because that's all Levi knows how to make, but he's been slowly branching out.

"Maybe you should learn to cook," says Levi. "I'm not a damn housekeeper, you know."

He grabs Erwin's plate before he can get up and puts it into the sink to wash tomorrow.

"You barely have stuff to cook with anyway. You barely have anything in this house, what's up with that?"

"Ah," Erwin says from the table. "Yes, well, I suppose I just expected to be dead by now."

He says it so nonchalantly that Levi gets angry. He grabs the counter, nails digging into the wood, and stares out the dark window. In the reflection of the lamplight, he can see Erwin looking down and smiling. Something cold spreads in his chest.

"That's fucking stupid," Levi says.

He walks out of the kitchen and into his room.

\--

A lot of people die during the expedition. They gain new knowledge about Titans—the ability to communicate, but it's almost hard to see the positive in it when they're coming back in the gates, limping and exhausted with so many dead in the wagons. Levi walks next to Erwin with his horse, ignoring the jeers and questions from the crowd, like they know a goddamn thing about what it's like out there. Eventually, the crowd gets bored and leaves, and they walk to the stables in peace. Erwin starts talking about their next move, he always is, he's always thinking ahead.

"This information is more than enough to get another expedition funded," he says. "Those who died today have helped more than they know."

"They know," Levi says. "You made sure of that."

He pats the neck of his horse before shutting the stable door, limbs heavy.

"Anyway, worry about that shit tomorrow. Let's just go home."

Levi turns and Erwin has a strange look in his eyes, something distant that Levi has never seen before.

"What did you say?"

"I said, let's go home."

Levi cocks his head, confused, a little concerned. There's a half-smile at Erwin's lips.

"What are you—"

"Yes," Erwin says. "Let's go home."

\--

Erwin's quiet when they get back to the house. He's been watching Levi oddly ever since the stables, like he's just figured something out about him, something completely new. Levi pulls off his boots and sheds his cloak, his jacket. The strange silence is driving him crazy. He pulls at his collar.

"I'm bathing first," he says. "I got Titan blood all over my hands."

Erwin is silent behind him, and Levi is starting to get annoyed. Erwin has always been the one person he can't read easily. He folds his jacket and cloak together and tugs his cravat off, sighing.

"Hey, did you hear me?"

He almost turns, but then Erwin's hands are at his hips, and then Erwin's mouth is on his neck, and Levi goes still. He tightens his grip on his cravat, heartbeat quickening.

"Erwin—"

The sentence dies on his tongue when Erwin nips at his jaw. Levi shivers once, but it's nearly audible, starts at his feet and telegraphs up his spine, makes his hair stand on end. He doesn't even have to debate turning around, he just does, it's that easy. As soon as he does, Erwin is leaning down to kiss him, insistent, determined, and Levi pushes up onto his toes to meet him. He doesn't quite understand, but he also knows he doesn't have to, not right now. Erwin's hands squeeze at his hips and they start to walk, Levi letting Erwin guide him. His cloak and jacket drop to the floor, easily forgotten.

In Erwin's room, Erwin moves his hands just under Levi's ass, lifts him slightly to get him onto the bed. Then he's pulling at the straps of Levi's gear. He pulls the supporting strap out from the sole of Levi's feet, fingers brushing over the sensitive skin there. Levi jumps at the contact but stays still, lets Erwin undress him. His shirt is unbuttoned and fanned out on the bed, pants halfway down when Erwin appears to lose his patience. He slips Levi's underwear down over his thighs, so gentle that Levi is almost embarrassed. His cock is already hard when Erwin takes him into his mouth. Levi throws his arm over his mouth, bites the fabric of his shirt. Erwin's hands are resting on his thighs as if to keep him there, mouth warm and wet and Levi is having a hard time trying to control his breathing, so he stops trying. He moves his arm away and watches Erwin's cheeks hollow out, the dark sweep of his eyelashes. His tongue is pressed to the underside of Levi's cock and when he pulls off just enough, he licks over the head.

"Shit," Levi says, and grabs hold of Erwin's hair, nails scraping the scalp. "Oh, shit," he says again, and his thighs are shaking.

Erwin doesn't pull off when he comes. He waits until Levi is finished, lets him push his hips up, before releasing him, lips red. Levi feels wrung dry. He stays flat on the bed, chest heaving. Erwin sits back on his haunches, still situated between Levi's legs. He wipes at his mouth.

"Thank you," he says, as if Levi has just given him something special.

Levi finally pushes up onto his elbows, completely unsure what to say. His eyes flicker to the bed sheets, and Levi realizes that this is the first time he's seen Erwin's room. It's laid out much like his office, the only room in the house that looks really lived in. Papers are piled high on a desk near the window, books scattered on a shelf. The bed is large, Levi notices, Erwin's scent all over it.

"You said you wanted to bathe first?"

At Erwin's voice, Levi's attention snaps upright. Erwin is watching him, eyes bright, and he looks much calmer than earlier, but still far away somehow.

"Yeah," Levi says, and starts to come back to himself. "Yeah, I do."

Erwin steps off the bed and out of the room in some weird gesture of privacy to allow Levi to get the rest of his clothes off. Levi presses a hand to his forehead, breathes out. He untangles himself from his clothes and gets off the bed.

\--

He takes a long bath. He rests his head on the lip of the tub, lets the water collect the grime and dirt from the expedition. Levi can hear Erwin moving around in the kitchen, baseboards creaking. He grabs the washcloth and thinks of Erwin's hands on his hips.

\--

When Levi comes out of the bathroom, Erwin is frowning in the kitchen, looking at their food supply. Levi joins him. The only tings they have left to eat are bacon and eggs. It's late, and they're tired, but also too hungry to ignore it. They need to eat. Levi takes the eggs out, but Erwin grabs the bacon.

"I'll help," he says.

Levi raises a brow. "Suit yourself. Just don't cry if you burn your house down."

Erwin grabs the skillet from the shelf, smiling, and Levi can only think of his mouth on him, his hollowed-out cheeks.

"I'll try not to," he says.

As it turns out, they cook well together. Levi scrambles the eggs and Erwin fries up the bacon, turning the strips every so often so they don't burn. Levi watches him closely, because he looked so weird earlier, and still kind of does, and Levi doesn't know if he should trust him around an open flame. But Erwin doesn't burn the house down. In fact, he fries the bacon up well.

They spoon the food onto plates for each other and move to the table. Levi waits for Erwin to take the first bite, watches as he chews slowly, thoughtful.

"It's good," Erwin says finally, and swallows. "We did good."

Levi takes a bite because he half doesn't believe him, but Erwin is right. It's good. They eat, Erwin looking particularly triumphant. Levi glances up at Erwin occasionally and tries to gauge him, tries to get some kind of answer for earlier without having to ask. But Erwin seems laid back, seems _content,_ and Levi just doesn't feel like asking. After dinner, he helps wash up but doesn't touch Levi, just bids him goodnight and goes to his room. Levi stands in the kitchen for nearly ten minutes before going back to his.

\--

As Erwin predicted, the information about Titan communication lends them enough good grace for another expedition. He briefs Levi and Mike about it in his office. Hanji, from what Levi gathers, is already off readying another experiment. They won't be departing for another month at least, though, just training in the meantime, preparations. After the briefing, Mike and Levi head to the training grounds to check on the trainees. With any luck, they'll be ready for the next expedition, and with any more luck, they'll survive it. Mike and Levi walk down the halls, quiet as usual, which is something Levi particularly admires about Mike. He doesn't talk when he doesn't have to. Before they step outside, Mike leans over and sniffs Levi's hair, something he hasn't done in over a year. Levi darts to the side.

"Get your nose away from me," he says.

"You smell like Erwin," Mike says.

Levi chokes a bit on his own spit, but before he can say anything, Mike continues.

"Ah, that's right, you moved into his house, didn't you?"

"Temporarily," Levi says.

He doesn't know why it feels so important to reiterate that, like he has to prove something to Mike.

"Good." Mike nods. "The Commander seems…more at ease."

That has nothing to do with me, Levi thinks. I'm just there.

"Whatever," he says. "Don't smell me again, it's creepy."

Only one trainee gets injured during exercises that day, so Levi considers it a good one. He mostly watches from the side, silent and intimidating. He doesn't like talking to any new soldiers until at least their second expedition, when Levi knows they can handle themselves and not get eaten right away. Otherwise there's really just no point as far as he's concerned. At the end of the day he tidies his office, and then gets ready to leave. When he steps out, he runs right into Erwin in the hall.

"Levi," he says. "I was just looking for you. Ready to go?"

Levi falls instep with him. "I thought you would be staying."

"No," Erwin says. "Not today. Let's go home."

\--

They cook together again. This time, Levi bakes chicken and Erwin sautés vegetables. They cook almost in sync, moving around one another without getting the way, communicating silently. Erwin can actually cook fairly well, and Levi doesn't know how the hell he got roped into cooking so many times, but he did. Now he just has Erwin wash the plates afterwards with the promise of drying. Levi watches him from the table, cutting into an apple. He still hasn't said anything about the other day. It isn't until later, when Levi is walking back to his room, that Erwin approaches him in the hallway.

"Levi," he says, eyes hot with intent, and Levi is actually relieved when he bends down to kiss him.

He holds himself steady against Erwin's forearms, Erwin's hands cupping his face. He starts to walk them into his room again, but this time Levi hesitates. Because he doesn't know why, and Levi hates not knowing.

"Erwin…"

Erwin stops kissing him, and Levi drops his head down. He knows that Erwin will understand. He doesn't have to say it. Erwin touches his chin to have him look up again.

"I like you living here," he says.

And Levi finally gets it. He gets after the expedition, in the stables, when he said _let's go home._ Because he called it home for the first time, and maybe up until that point, it hadn't been one. Not for either of them. Levi doesn't remember when it started feeling like one, but it does. Erwin doesn't say anything else, but of course, he doesn't have to. That's enough for Levi. One word from Erwin always has been.

They scramble to his room after that, undressing each other and then pausing to kiss, because it seems like such a struggle to not to do so. Levi has seen Erwin naked before, but never like this, body flushed, cock hard. Levi licks his lips and runs his hands down the rippled muscles of Erwin's stomach. They quiver under his touch.

"Fuck," he says.

Erwin pushes him onto the bed. He grabs Levi under the arms and moves him further up on the bed in a show of raw strength that has Levi's groin twisting hot. Erwin covers him with his body, kisses down his neck, bites his clavicle. He settles between Levi's legs like he's always belonged there, kissing him until Levi kicks him with a bare heel.

"You just gonna kiss me or you gonna do something?" he says, mouth dry.

Erwin smiles against his mouth, wicked and almost terrifying, like he's thought of a million things to do to Levi. He pulls off of Levi only for a moment, enough to dig into the bedside table and pull out some oil. Levi notices that it's never been opened. It looks new. Erwin sits back, legs cross.

"Climb into my lap," he says.

Levi does, thighs stretched around Erwin's waist, Erwin's cock pushing against the seam of his ass. He feels small like this, pressed against Erwin, but Erwin's arms are curled around him and Levi stops caring very quickly. His cock drags slow against Erwin's stomach.

"Good," Erwin breathes, like Levi has done something well in training, and it makes Levi flush, the way he wants to please Erwin.

He grips Erwin's shoulders, comfortable and steady, and feels Erwin's hand trail down his backside, slick with oil. His finger slips between the cheeks of his ass and rubs, teasing. Levi squirms, bites his lip, but before he can say anything, Erwin is pushing that finger into him. He moans without thinking about it, a deep _oh_ in his throat, squeezing the muscle of Erwin's shoulders. Their faces are pressed together, and Levi can feel Erwin's heavy breathing against his temple.

"Okay?" he says.

Levi scoffs, a bit breathless. "Please, I'm not a virgin."

Erwin hums, fits in another finger and presses, searches. The steady but relentless movement has Levi shuddering and anticipating.

"All right," he says, fidgeting. "Come on already."

"Shh," Erwin says.

He pulls his fingers out and Levi gasps at the sudden emptiness, but then Erwin is back with more oil, slipping two fingers in and then a third. It's tighter, and the pressure is more intense. Levi feels ridiculously full and he knows this isn't even close to the width of Erwin's cock and that makes him dizzy. He pushes down against his fingers and lets Erwin open him up. Erwin nuzzles him, their foreheads brushing together, and then they're kissing again. Levi wraps his arms around Erwin's neck, presses into it, almost doesn't notice when Erwin starts trying to fit his pinkie in alongside his first three fingers.

"Shit," he says, because it's tight, really tight. "Fuck, ah."

"Can you take it?" Erwin says, slowing his movements. "Can you take it for me?"

He's already almost there, gentle but firm, and Levi nods almost hysterically. His pinkie fits in, and Erwin's fingers curl and Levi is half-afraid to even move.

"You're so good," Erwin says. "Look at you."

Levi tries to breathe but it comes out like more of a ragged sob, nerves on fire.

"Just—Erwin, just give me your cock already." He rocks against him. "Come on."

Erwin listens this time, slowly slipping his fingers out. He taps Levi's thigh and Levi sits up, waits for Erwin to get more oil, his breathing erratic. He eases himself down onto Erwin's cock, feeling the stretch, the slight burn, Erwin's hands holding him for support. Erwin is looking right at him and he looks so open and pleased with him that Levi has to look elsewhere. Once he's fully seated, Erwin's hips begin to rock up, and Levi drops his head onto Erwin's shoulder. He guides Levi, holding his hips, and Levi pushes right back into it. They breathe ragged together, get a good rhythm going. Levi pulls his knees up so he can fuck himself faster on Erwin's cock, desperate now in a way he hadn't realized before. He clings to Erwin, chest to chest, and sinks his teeth into Erwin's shoulder.

"Levi," Erwin says, and then he folds so that Levi is on his back and he is braced over him.

He thrusts in something brutal, hips snapping. Levi lets him take over the work, feeling almost boneless, electric. At this angle, Erwin manages to hit against his prostate and Levi chokes, knows he's getting close. He reaches between them and takes his own cock in his hand, stroking. Erwin comes before him, stuttering, emptying himself, Levi's name on his lips. As soon as he finishes he wraps a hand over Levi's, and they move together until Levi comes all over his stomach and chest, muscles in spasms, squeezing down on Erwin's softening cock. They spend minutes getting their breath back, sweat cooling on their skin, Erwin's lips pressed to Levi's forehead.

\--

Levi stays in Erwin's room that night and wakes up in the morning with Erwin curled around him, his nose pressed against Erwin's abs. He expects things to change, but oddly, it doesn't feel any different. They shave together before Levi gets breakfast ready. The commute to headquarters has them walking closer together, and that evening after dinner, Erwin kisses Levi by the sink, hands submerged in soapy water. Other than that, nothing else really changes. Intimacy slips into their lives so easily it's almost like it was always there. Levi forgets to look for another place to live.

\--

On their day off a few weeks later, after Levi has finished the laundry and made Erwin fold it, they sit on the couch with the windows open, Erwin drinking tea. Levi sits horizontal on the couch, feet on Erwin's lap. He stares out the window at the setting sun. Erwin folds a hand over his ankle, absentminded, nose in a book, and starts massaging around the bone there.

"You should move your things into my room," he says.

Levi looks away from the window. "What?"

Erwin doesn't look up from his book.

"You're hardly in there anymore," he says. "You might as well put your things in my room."

Levi doesn't know why that didn't occur to him, or why it seems like such a big deal when he's already living here. Moving into Erwin's _room,_ though, seems like something else entirely. Something bigger. But it's been like that for weeks already, and Levi hadn't even realized. He wakes up nearly every day next to Erwin that now it would seem weird not to.

"Sure," he says, stretching back. "Might as well."

\--

Levi waits for Erwin outside headquarters. The last expedition was a massive disaster, and the Military Police are making a mockery of them in the capital. Erwin has been up to his eyeballs in politics and paperwork, but Levi waits for him to finish, because he knows damn well if he doesn't then Erwin will just fall asleep in his office again. Levi leans his back against the building, arms folded. A few trainees come out, laughing and joking, and then quieting when they see Levi. One of them hangs behind and steps over to him.

"Captain?" he says. "Are you all right?"

Levi just looks at him. He can't remember his name, he's still new.

"…Fine."

The trainee nods. "Are you waiting for someone?"

Levi doesn't say anything, and then the trainee's friend comes over and puts an arm around him, laughing still.

"The Captain always waits for the Commander," he says. "They're like married or something."

The two laugh, light and easy, and Levi narrows his eyes, goes stiff.

"What did you say?"

The two trainees quiet immediately, exchange an awkward glance. The first trainee rubs the back of his neck, embarrassed.

"I was just…I was just kidding, Captain," he says.

Levi squeezes his folded hands to fists. "Piss off and kid somewhere else."

The two trainees run off quickly, turning down the road until Levi's heated gaze can no longer see them. He relaxes his fists. He wonders who else thinks that, who else talks about it. Everyone must know they live together, but not like that. He's mad because that trainee was right—he and Erwin are practically married, and Levi doesn't even remember how it happened, but it did, and it was so, so easy.

Erwin comes out of the building a few minutes later, papers tucked under his arms.

"Ready?" he says.

Levi pushes off the wall without responding.

\--

He cooks rice that night, and fish that they picked up at the market on the way home. Levi cooks loudly, banging around, still frustrated from. He shouldn't care what a few pisshead trainees think, but it bothers him, it does. He doesn't know why and that pisses him off even more.

"Everything okay?" Erwin says from the table. He's still doing paperwork.

Levi doesn't answer. He turns the fish over, trying to measure how done it is. He thinks about the two trainees again, their young, eager faces, and accidentally puts his hand on the hot stove.

"Shit." Levi rips his hand away from the skillet and shakes it.

Erwin is already standing up and walking over to him, holding his hand out.

"Let me see."

"It's fine—"

"Let me see," Erwin says, in the tone he uses to give orders.

Levi lets Erwin take his hand. The skin of it is red, but the burn doesn't look too bad. It's mostly his fingers. Erwin turns his hand over.

"I'll get the salve," he says.

Levi sits at the table while Erwin puts the salve on his hand. He bandages his fingers up to be safe, though Levi doesn't even really feel the burn anymore. His hand is just hot and red. The fish is ruined, but Levi supposes that doesn't matter much now. Erwin screws the lid back on the jar of salve and rolls up the extra bandages.

"Do you think I should get my own place?" Levi says.

Erwin pauses in front of the open cupboard. His sudden silence makes Levi itch.

"This was temporary, remember? You said yourself I should get my own place."

Erwin puts the salve away and shuts the cupboard. He moves back over to Levi slowly and sits down next to him at the table.

"Levi," he says. "What's this about?"

That's the problem, though. Levi doesn't know. What he knows is that this was supposed to be temporary, and it's not, and those two trainees will probably die within and year and maybe he and Erwin don't deserve this, any of it, whatever it is. And won't it be harder, later, when one of them dies, when the house is empty again.

He doesn't say that, though. What he says is, "Let's spar."

Erwin stares. "What?"

"Let's move the couch and spar."

"Right now?"

"Yeah," Levi says. "Right now."

They push the couch against the far wall and roll the rug up, strip their shirts off. Levi stretches his calves quickly, his arms. Erwin watches, a bit hesitant still, but he stretches as well. They haven't spared in over a year, not since before Erwin became Commander.

"Your hand okay?" Erwin says.

"My hand is fine." Levi crouches. "Come on. Fight me."

At first, Erwin goes easy on him. He dodges Levi's punches and kicks, only swipes at him halfhearted. It isn't until Levi pops him in the jaw that Erwin stops hesitating. He's always been able to best Levi at hand to hang combat, so it doesn't last long after that. Erwin grabs hold of Levi's arms and twists, trying to flip him, but Levi manages to get him off with a kick to the ankle. Finally, Erwin manages to pin him to the wood floor, body pressed against his like Levi might run off otherwise. He looks down at Levi, breathing heavy, eyes searching.

"Levi," he says, but Levi doesn't want to talk. Not yet. He pushes his crotch up against Erwin, half-hard.

"You feel that?" he says.

Erwin exhales against him. "I do."

"Good," Levi says. "So you gonna do me on the floor or are we moving to the bedroom?"

The room spins as Erwin picks him up in one motion, hand on Levi's ass, possessive. They barely make it before Levi is climbing on top of Erwin, hands tangled up in his hair. He lets Erwin roll him onto his stomach, ass pushed out, desperate for it suddenly, demanding it. Erwin seems to feel the same way, because his hands are shaking and he keeps running his tongue over his lips. He opens Levi up quickly, Levi with his head buried in the pillow, biting into the cotton. He turns his head to the side when he feels like he can't breathe, when Erwin finally starts to fuck into him.

"Yeah," he says. "Yeah, like that, Erwin, oh god."

When it gets to be too much, Levi goes flat against the mattress, cock rubbing into the sheets until he orgasms like that, Erwin all over him. Erwin doesn't stop fucking him, and Levi is glad for it. He wants to feel it. Erwin drives himself in as hard as he can, draped over Levi.

"I'd rather you didn't move out," he says. "I think you should stay."

Levi shivers, says, "Aren't we just making it harder?" Cryptic and soft, but of course Erwin understands. He always does.

"I want you to stay," Erwin says.

It sounds like an order and Levi thinks he could come again just like that, with Erwin's voice talking him down.

"Okay," he says, and then again, a litany. "Okay, okay, okay."

\--

After that it's routine, routine. It's Erwin snoring and Levi smothering him with a pillow, or one of them burning dinner and them walking down to the market to pick something else up. Sometimes they get hot and desperate in their own house and Levi takes Erwin into his mouth until Erwin biting his own hand. Other times it's Erwin pushing Levi against the wall, pinning him, and Levi biting his lip to keep the grin from his face. But most times it's them together, quiet and tired, leaning against one another until it's time for bed. It's the threat of the Titans, the threat of the government and they hold each other up through it all, and Levi wonders if this is what it's like for normal people, if it could be like this after the war.

\--

One of the nights Erwin stays late at headquarters, Levi stops by the market, looking for something specific. When he finds it, he has the shopkeeper wrap it. He sets it on the kitchen table knowing it'll be the first place Erwin looks when he gets home. Then he starts reading over Erwin's plans for the next expedition. Erwin only told him, Hanji, Mike, and Nanaba about them. They're going to try and capture a Titan using Hanji's new system. The last few times have been a failure. Levi reads the papers over a cup of tea, thinking of Titan flesh.

Erwin comes home an hour later with dinner under his arm. He toes his boots off by the front door and walks into the kitchen, pausing, just like Levi knew he would, when he sees the parcel on the table.

"What's this?" he says.

"Open it," says Levi.

Erwin sets dinner on the counter and pulls the wrapping from the parcel, just a thin layer of packing paper, and reveals the object underneath. He rotates it a bit on the table, confused.

"This is…"

"It's one of those decorative vase things." Levi motions vaguely toward it, embarrassed now. "People put them in their houses or some shit."  

"Oh," Erwin says, and then seems to remember months ago. "Oh," he says again, understanding.

He holds the vase up. It's a light gray color, dark blue vines and leaves curling around it. Levi's never actually bought a real piece of furniture or anything like it before, and he didn't really know what to do. He doesn't know why he's suddenly nervous about it.

"You like it, right?"

Erwin sets the vase back down and leans over to kiss him, quick and firm.

"Levi," he says. "Thank you. I do."

Levi turns away from him, face hot.

"Don't get all gushy and shit," he says. "Where are you gonna put it?"

Erwin takes his chin between his thumb and forefinger, head cocked in thought. He grabs the vase again and moves out into the living area. Levi follows. Erwin stops in front of the bookcase, reaches up, and sets the vase on top.

"Look at that," he says, turning back to Levi. "It looks perfect."

Levi nods, eyes on the vase. "Yeah, it looks fine."

He dodges Erwin's hand on their way back into the kitchen, ribcage full of birds.

\--

Levi has to rip paperwork out of Erwin's hands later. Erwin won't stop looking over his proposal to the Generalissimo, talking to himself in hushed tones, and Levi doesn't know how he expects him to get any sleep like this. He does this all the time before anything important—obsesses over it—and then pretends like he isn't talking out loud to himself. Levi reaches up, grabs the papers from Erwin and throws them onto the bedside table. He misses, and the papers slide to the floor. Erwin lies there with his hands closed like he's still holding them.

"Levi—"

"How many times have I told you not to read that crap in bed?" Levi puts his head back down against Erwin's chest, arm slung over his stomach. One of his legs is tangled with Erwin's under the covers. "It's annoying."

Erwin sighs. "The proposal is in two days."

"I know, and you're ready."

"The plans have to be perfect or we won't—"

"Erwin," Levi says. "Just shut up for a second. Just lay with me."

Erwin does. He shifts so he's lying back against the pillows, Levi still attached. Then he wraps an arm around him, rough fingers sliding against the soft inner skin of Levi's arm. It's a quiet night. The air keeps growing colder, the days shorter, and Levi and Erwin spend so many nights like this now, bodies huddled together as one. Erwin reaches for Levi's hand and holds it, lacing their fingers.

He hums, says, "This is much nicer."

Levi nods against his chest and listens to his heartbeat, quiet, steady. There.

"Yeah," he says. "It is."

**Author's Note:**

> I mean, I'm not saying they live together in canon but they probably do. Who else is going to put up with Levi's obsessive cleaning and make sure Erwin takes care of himself? These two are so domestic, someone slap me. 
> 
> Comments and kudos always appreciated ♥


End file.
